Once Upon A Superhero
by SQSarah12
Summary: It's a kinda Smallville/Man of Steel Swan Queen superhero story. I'm Man of Steel crazy at the moment so... HERE IT IS!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I have posted a sorry note about three of my stories that I will not be able to continue till the summer but this story is something I have been working on through various role-plays so I hope you enjoy this story as much as I will enjoy writing it

Disclaimer: I do not own ONCE or any characters nor do I own any related material belonging to DC comics

Emma Swan looked like an ordinary human being, she acted like a human, ate like a human but she wasn't a human she was an alien and anyone who had read a Superman comic was reading about her and her abilities except Emma Swan was real and Superman wasn't. Emma knew nothing of her origins except where she came from Titan (not the moon of Saturn) not even why she was sent to Earth as a baby where she was found by Mary-Margaret Nolan nee Swan and her then fiancé David Nolan and raised in a small town in Maine called Storybrooke. When Emma has finished school she decided to set off on a journey around the world to learn more about the planet she was part of but now at 28 years old she had decided to leave her home-town and move to Boston where she was to find her calling and the love of her life.

When she stepped off the greyhound she felt the sense of urgency she had come to associate with a big, metropolitan city such as Boston it enthralled her. She takes a deep breathe and pushes her glasses up her nose before she makes for her friend Ruby Lucas's apartment. They had gone to school together and when Ruby was eighteen she moved to Boston after getting a job as a runner at the Boston Globe.

"He... hey Rubes" Emma says in her deceptive stutter. She puts the stutter as a matter of disguise just like she slips the thick rimmed glasses on. She doesn't need them she just uses them as part of her disguise.

"Oh my god Emma I didn't recognize you with the glasses! Come on in!" Ruby steps aside to let her old friend. When Emma had contacted her she was more than happy to have her come and stay with her until she found a place of her own

"Th... Thanks fo...for having me... me Rubes" Emma says as she steps inside with a small, nervous smile. The apartment was cosy and homely. Ruby had taken the two bedroom because she had had a room-mate up until a few weeks ago before they moved out and moved to New York.

"It's fine Emma I'm just so happy to see you! It's been ten years since we last saw each other I wanna know what's been going on in the life of Emma Swan-Nolan" Emma chuckles as she sets her suitcases down by the door before she takes her coat off and hangs it up on the coat rack

"Oh... oh noth... nothing new I've... I've travel... travelled a bit... explored the... the worl... world" Emma looks around apartment and see the place could with a bit of paint, a couple of things done here and there. At least there was something to occupy her time with

"Wow! Who have thought it? Emma Swan going off to see the world? How did you pay for it?" Emma stumbles over the sofa leg and tumbles face first on to the sofa landing with a soft thud. Ruby's question had caught her off guard. She didn't need money to fly around the world because she could fly literally

"Ss... orry" Emma says bashfully moving around so she's sitting up straight on the sofa "I... I worked when... when ever I... I could" She says rubbing the back of her neck feeling still awkward at her 'clumsiness'. She may hate her mild-mannered, clumsy, stuttering disguise but it certain came in handy when things were difficult to explain

"It's okay" Ruby says with a cheeky smile. This new Emma was something of a surprise. Emma had always been clumsy and not particularly articulated but it would appear that had gotten worse over time rather than better "I got you an interview with the editor at The Boston Globe he was impressed by your work"

Emma looks up at her friend and gives her a happy, lopsided smile. The Boston Globe, it was a reporter's dream to work at such a successful and famous newspaper and Emma was no exception except she had other motives "Th... thanks Ru... Ruby" She says with a thankful smile. This was it, Emma Swan was about to hit the big time in more ways than one

"No probs Ems now let's get you settled in" Ruby says picking up Emma's rather heavy suitcase unbuckling under it's weight "What the hell have you got in and how do you not flinch at the weight of it?" She says exasperated as she struggles to carry the suitcase through to the spare room

"Oh Ruby you have no idea" Emma says with a grin and a shake of the head standing from the couch and makes for the spare room to unpack her things. Emma knew her calling was in Boston but she didn't know why. The world was screaming for a saviour and Emma thought it only right to put her powers to good use and protect the world from itself and foreign evils "So... So Rub... Rubes wh... what is the... the Glo... Globe like?" Emma asks her new room-mate as she opens up her suitcase revealing all the possessions she had, what she didn't want she didn't bring from Storybrooke

"The Globe? Oh it's a cool place to work I was promoted to cub photographer a few months ago and go out on assignments. I usually work with Regina Mills" Emma was familiar with the name Regina Mills and how attractive she was. Regina Mills was one name in journalism that everyone was envious of, she was the best reporter of the eastern sea board and was wanted by every big newspaper and news station across the US and the world but she always remained at the Globe

"W... Wow I... I hear Mill... Mills is a bull... bulldog" Emma says hanging up her shirts according to colour. Emma knew that to have a successful alter ego it needed to be the complete opposite of who she is actually was and OCD was not one of her superpowers

"Bulldog huh? That is one way to describe her. She's the best reporter on the eastern sea board. She doesn't have the nickname Regina 'The Bloodhound' Mills for nothing" Ruby says chuckling as she leans against the door-frame watching Emma unpack her belongings "Her mother was on the board of directors until she passed away and when that happened Regina came out of her shell and blossomed into this kick-ass, no nonsense reporter"

"Co... Cora Mills there... there is a nam... name I haven't heard... heard for a... a while. Mom always... always said Cora was... was a bi...bitch. Cor... Cora used to... to run the... the com... community cent... centre back ho... home"

"Oh yeah I remember god your mom was always right about Cora Mills. I hated the witch and I think Regina did too. We never met Regina did we? When we were kids?" Emma thinks back through her photographic memory and shakes her head. Cora was one person she did know but Regina wasn't

"N... No" Emma hangs the last of her shirts up and starts on her pants, there was no set order for the pants so it made Emma's life easier in that respect "I... I remember when... when Cor... Cora put... put Neal Cass... Cassidy in his... his place I laughed... laughed for a... week"

"Oh god yes! I hated that boy what happened to him by the way?" Ruby asks. Neal Cassidy that was one person Emma hadn't seen in years, she remembers when he tried to date her but Emma shot him down quickly

"No... No idea. Mo... mom told... told me he... he joined the... the marines" Emma says with a shrug as she closes her closet door. All of her formal clothing was unpacked now to start on the tank tops, t-shirts and underwear

"Oh good on him" Ruby says with a proud tone. Suddenly there is a knock on the front door and Ruby furrows her brow "Wonder who that could be. I'll be right back" She says leaving Emma to unpack. Emma smiles as Ruby disappears and uses her super-speed to unpack the rest of her stuff including her photos and mementos from her world trip "Regina?! What a surprise please come on in" Emma's ears pick up Ruby's words and she comes out of her room to be met by the sight of Regina Mills in Ruby's living room. She was beautiful, stunning to be honest. Her features were perfect, her eyes a dark chocolate colour and her hair jet black. She was wearing a tight, red shirt with a black blazer and a pair of Gucci pants with Gucci heels she looked stunning.

"Gold told me to check out the new reporter before the interview tomorrow. He wants my opinion before he makes a decision since this new cub will be my partner" Emma's eyebrows shoot up at Regina's words. She could be Regina's partner. Ruby glances at Emma wide eyed. Emma didn't know what had hit her.

"Uh Miss... Miss Mills I... I am Emma Sw... Swan" Emma comes forward her hand out-stretched. She suddenly finds herself under Regina's intense gaze as the ace reporter turns to look at her

"Miss Swan" She says her silky tone making Emma turn into a puddle on the floor. Emma flushes and pushes her glasses nervously up her nose. She had never had this reaction to some-one before. "Ruby get Miss Swan and I a cup of coffee please" Ruby practically runs into the kitchen as Regina makes herself a home sitting down on the sofa gesturing to the seat opposite for Emma. Emma walks nervously towards the seat and stumbles as she reaches the seat landing face first on the floor

"S... Sorry" Emma says standing up with a goofy smile. She takes a seat and throws one leg over the other. Regina sighs and shakes her head, she wasn't impressed so far and Emma could see that "My... my apologizes Miss... Miss Mills I... I'm a... a little clum... clumsy at... at times" Emma says with a lopsided grin straightening her glasses

"Hmm" Ruby comes through just in time with the coffee before making herself scarce running into her bedroom "I've read your work it's good" Emma knew that was high praise coming from Regina Mills and takes pride in her words

"Th... Thank you... you Ms... Ms Mills" Emma replies with a happy, lopsided grin. She was cheering inwardly very happily to put it mildly

"Apart from the clumsiness and the stuttering I think we'll work well together however I have ground rules and I expect them to be followed understood" Emma nods vigorously, she can't believe she's going to have the chance to work the US's most famous reporter it was a dream come true "Rule 1: You follow my lead, where I go you go. Rule 2: Never go behind my back. Rule 3: Never try to hit on me. I don't date co-workers and Rule 4: My story, my byline, my name then yours" Emma winces inwardly at Rule 3. Regina was stunning and Emma's gaydar was doing overtime so she knew Regina was gay and Emma knew that Regina was available but if that was the rule that was the rule.

"I... I under... understand Ms... Ms Mills"

"And call me Regina I am not your school teacher" Regina downs her coffee before standing up abruptly causing Emma to jump up with her

"Th... thank you... you... Regina" Emma loved the way Regina's name just rolled off her tongue, she loved everything about Regina so far but she had to follow the rules and that's exactly what she was going to do. Regina nods her head and walks to the door

"Miss Swan" She opens the door and leaves closing it behind her. Ruby was staring with wide eyes; to have approval from Regina Mills was like having spoken to God

"W… Wow" Emma says rubbing the back of her neck a goofy grin on her face. Ruby looks at her new room-mate and furrows her brow for a moment before letting her face break out in a wide grin

"Oh my god you like her?!" Emma blushes and shakes her head still rubbing the back of her neck nervously "You do!"

"Sh… shut up Ru… Ruby" Emma says standing up making her way back into her room. She opens up her laptop and pulls up articles written by an cub reporter at Storybrooke High Ashley Boyd, one of Emma's old friends.

'Mystery Hero strikes again'  
'Storybrooke's Savior?'  
'Savior strike's again?'

Emma sighs heavily at all of the headlines from her High School years knowing that she was the reason Storybrooke had become a safer place to be however she was still in the dark, she was still hidden away in the shadows… she didn't know how much she could stay hidden especially now she had met Regina Mills.

"Never did find out who that was did you?" Emma looks up startled at Ruby's sudden appearance before she shakes her head

"N… no… no we di… didn't"

"Whoever it was… they made a great difference" Emma looks directly at the computer screen in front of her and stays silent as she lets Ruby's words sink in. Her parents had told her that over and over again yet she had never believed it, she still didn't.

"The… the ques… question is… is the worl… world ready for… for some… someone lik… like that?"

"Well there's only ever one way to find out and that is for that person to step in to the light" Emma swallows the lump in her throat and plays Ruby's words in her head over and over again as Ruby retreats back into the living room in order to work on picking out some of her shots.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was Emma's big day… the interview at the Globe, she wasn't used to being nervous especially since she's gotten older and had been able to being her abilities… as she called them under control. Emma straightens her glasses and takes a deep breath before heading into the Globe.

"Go… good morn… morning I… I have an… an interview with… with Mr… Mr Gold" Emma can see the girl looking around before waving over… Regina… 'Oh man' Emma thinks she swallows the lump in her throat as the dominating figure of Regina Mills walks over to me.

"Ah Ms Swan... Mr Gold has been… kicked into touch and I'm the temporary editor and chief. If you'll come this way…" Emma blinks in surprise and she follows Regina trying not to knock things over trying to keep up with the woman. She enters the office and takes a seat oppose Regina "So… Ms Swan what can you bring to this newspaper?"

Emma is taken back by Regina's question but quickly recovers "I… I can… can bring a… a new… new style of… of writing to… to the paper… a new… new perspec… perspective on… old… old stories... for… for example"

"I see and have you brought any of your work with you?" Emma quickly takes some of her work from her bag… most about 'Storybrooke's mysterious savior' or herself

"Ye… yeah" Emma hands the articles to Regina and straightens up her glasses. She looks down at her feet as Regina reads through her work.

"I'm… I'm impressed Ms Swan" Emma's head shoots up faster than she can run sometimes (which was faster than a speeding bullet), she couldn't believe she was getting such high praise from Regina Mills "I… I investigated this… 'Savior' when I was a cub reporter they fascinated me. I went to… to Storybrooke to find them" Emma suddenly realises she had met Regina before... she had saved her life from a bullet after she got caught in a shop robbery.

"You… you got… got caugh… caught up in… in a rob… robbery right?" Regina looks up at Emma surprised by the fact Emma knew what she had been through in… Em… their hometown. Oh yes Regina was from Storybrooke she had grown up there until she left for college at eighteen… she had never gone back until the stories of Storybrooke's 'savior' spilled into the high school paper "I… I… I wrot.. wrote a.. a pie… piece on th… that"

"Oh… is it in this portfolio" Emma nods her head gently with a weak smile. Regina looks through the portfolio again and comes upon the article about the robbery. She smiles gently at the work and nods her head "You're hired" A loud smile spreads across Emma's face and she bolts up from her chair tripping up on one of the front feet of the chair falling flat on her face

"Sh.. shit" Emma groans in fake pain holding her left knee as if she was hurt

"Emma… are you okay!?" Regina rushes to help Emma up

"I'm… I'm fi… fine" Emma grabs Regina's hand stands up limping on her left leg as if she was in pain "Ju… just sm… smacked m… my knee on… on the… the floor" Emma fake winces as she sits back down in her chair

"Do you want some ice for it?"

"N.. no it… it'll b.. be fine" Emma says smiling weakly rubbing her knee gently "Th… thank you… you though"

"You can start today if you wish?" Emma nods her head with a big smile on her face. She had gotten her dream job and now she just needed to get out in the world… be the hero her parents believed she could be, she just needed the confidence to do it

"Su… sure" Emma nods her head standing slowly wincing when she needed to in order to make her injury look real as possible. She follows Regina out of her office to find her desk which was ideally situated near a fire exit and a window

"Here you are" Emma looks at her desk and nods her head. This was it… she was a reporter working for one of the biggest newspapers in the US

"Th… than… thank you Ms… Ms Mills"

Regina just smiles and quickly returns to her office in order to dial down the workload left to her as Emma quickly settles in to her new job catching up on all the latest stories until she is interrupted by her cell phone "Em… Emma Sw…Swan"

"Hey honey!" Emma sighs in relief as she makes a quick getaway towards the stair well

"Hey mom" The stutter is gone as is the clumsiness and ridiculous act "How are you?"

"I'm good honey what about you?" Emma sits down on the top step of the stairs and sighs heavily taking off her glasses running the bridge of her nose

"I got the job" Emma says excitedly letting go of the anger of her whole charade go

"Oh honey that's great! I'm so proud of you!

"Thanks mom… remember that robbery where I had to save a nosy reporter from a stray bottle?" Mary Margaret shifts through her memories before she hits on the right one letting out a gasp of surprise/horror

"Regina Mills… how can anyone forget her?"

"Well… she's my boss… for now anyway. She's going to be my writing partner after they find a new editor and chief" Mary Margaret takes a seat at the dining table and sighs. This was not going to end well and she knew Emma knew that

"Emma… if she remembers you…"

"I know Mom… I know… listen I have a favour to ask…" With that Emma explains to her mother what she wanted of her

"Okay... that is… a good idea"

"A good idea? Mom… don't you think it's time? I'm nearly thirty… It's time… Look around you Mom this world is… screaming for a saviour. I'm tired of hiding in the shadows mom" the desperation, the frustration in Emma's voice told Mary Margaret that maybe it was time for the world to have a saviour and that saviour was going to be her daughter… she knew Emma was sent here for a reason and if that reason was to save the world then… then that was her destiny

"Okay, okay! You still coming home for Sunday dinner?"

"And miss your cooking? Never!" Her mother chuckles shaking her head. Of course Emma would never miss home cooking.

"Alright honey… I'll see you on Sunday" Emma nods smiling loudly at the prospect of seeing her parents, her friends

"Okay Mom… I love you"

"Love you too Emma be careful okay" Emma sighs and rolls her eyes playfully. Her mom always told her to be careful and Emma loved her more for that.

"Bye mom" Emma says hanging up quickly heading back to her desk pushing her glasses back on. Back to her clumsy, bumbling, stuttering charade.


End file.
